December 7, 2011
New information has come to light regarding emergency crew responses to the Indiana State Fairground stage collapse that occurred this summer. According to Channel 13 News, dispatch audiotapes show there was no clear plan to help the wounded get medical attention.
The first problem the tapes revealed was that three ambulance crews were away from their vehicles when the first calls came in for help. Then, ambulance units carrying critically injured patients couldn’t exit the fairgrounds due to the heavy traffic created by the catastrophe. Some ambulances were even stuck in the mud on the south side of the stage, unable to move.
Paramedics in emergency situations have patient codes of green, yellow, and red for varying degrees of injury severity (green being minor and red being critical). Command transportation demanded that green and yellow patients wait until all red patients had first been transported. However, these codes weren’t followed and less-critical patients were taken to the hospital before those most in need of medical attention.
The Indiana Personal Injury Lawyers with Stewart & Stewart understand that the law requires event promoters to provide concert-goers with a safe environment. If you have been hurt because of another person’s negligence, contact us today to discuss your case.